Rotary engine



Nov. 14, 1944.v c. B. HANSEN 2,362,550

ROTARY ENGINEA Filed Oct. 11, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 )Bg IVENToR,

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ATTORNEK c. B. HANSEN 2,362,550

ROTARY ENGINE Filed 001'.. 11, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 9' i T-2229.3.

A T TORNEK Nov. 14, i944. A c. B. HANSEN 2,362,550

ROTARY ENGINE Filed out. 11, 1945 s sheets-sheet s INVENTORT ATToR/VEK of Fig. 2; and

Patented Nov. 14, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .ROTARY ENGINE p Carl B. Hansen, San Francisco, Calif.` Application october 11, 1043, serial No. 505,386

3 claims. (ci. ita-11) The present invention relates to improvements in rotary engines. 1

An object of my invention is to provide an imf' proved rotary engine having a plurality of pistons y circularly arranged for movement away `from` and toward one another in a predetermined manner to alternately provide their power and compression strokes for the purpose of actuating a number of cai'n members, which in turn impart rotary movement to a `crank shaft and atv the same time move the pistons circularlyaround the said shaft. f i

Another object of my inventionis'toprovide Referring tothe drawings, the numeral i desig- 'nates `a housing, made preferably in two sections,

having. :water jackets 2 arranged therein. Journaled in the housing is an axially disposed crank shaft 3. Positioned inthe housing and mounted for independentrotary movement on the crank shaft are piston carrying Wheels or members 4 and 5 carrying'pistons 6 and 1, respectively, at` their peripheries or rims. The pistons of each wheelare arranged sixty degrees apart and each is provided for compression purposes at its opan improved internalV combustion engine .of the rotary type wherein a number of pistons mounted for circular movement about a crank-shaft are arranged to alternately move toward and away from one another on their compression and power strokes.

A still further object'of my invention is to provide an internal combustion engine of the kind characterized having a novel and simplified conare adapted to move in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) within an annular enclosed chamber 9 provided in the housing I. The chamber is 3 .arranged concentrically with respect to the shaft 'andis enclosed at its inner side bythe peripheries orrims of the wheels 4 and 5 and at its three other sides by the housing l. Interposed between the wheels 4 andi for compression purposes aresealing'rings lll. Secured within suit- L able openingsprovided in the housing l are spark struction wherein the pistons mounted ina circular chamber are arranged to alternately move toward and away from one another and 'at the same time move in a circular direction about the crank shaft.

The `present invention provides a number of other objects and f advantages `which will be pointed out hereinaften indicated inthe appended claims` or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of a rotary internal combustion engine representative of my invention; it is tobe understood, however, that the embodiment` of my in` vention herein shown and described is for the For the purpose of this application,

plugs H- which are arranged sixty degrees apart. Suitable fuel intake and exhaust means I2. and

I3 alsopositioned sixty` degrees apart are pron vided in the housing. The intake `and exhaust openings are arran'ged in pairs at predetermined positions near the-spark plugs il. l

Ducts `I4 leadingaxially through the crank shaitand extending. radially as atxl5 to connect with suitable channels i6 in the spokes of the wheels 4 and 5, and in the pistons 6 and 1, serve to supply alubricarit,` delivered under pressure, for the operation of the crank shaft, the wheels and the pistons. Asuitable bushing Il is interposed between the wheels .4 and 5 and the crank shaft 3.

purpose of illustration only, and that therefore it i is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention, nor is vit to be given an interpretation such as might have the effect of limiting the claims snort of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a rotary engine embodying the preferred principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on theline 2 2 Aof Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3`3`4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the Fig. 5 is a sectionalviewtaken on they line 5-5 of Fig. 2.V

Secured as at IB to the housing 1l is a large stationary ring gear I9 having its yteeth arranged internally andiinniesh `with the teeth of three circular running gears 20. The running gears 20 lare arranged one hundredA twenty degrees apart,

and each is axially and rotatably mounted at itsouter side on a finger or projection 2| carried by a drive-disc 22which is'keyed as at 23 Vto thecrank shaft 3`. Each of the running gears 20 is provided at itsnner side with an oval arranged in pairs` and are confined within the oval tracks 24, and as the pistons 6 and l are iine 4 4.

forced apart when the explosions occur, the said members are also moved` apart. As the projecting members Il'V and 5' are` forced apart, they will 'cause the running gears 2D toI rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and at the same time move clockwise within the ring gear I9, thereby carrying the fingers 2| of the drive-disc 23 in a clockwise direction and thus rotating the said disc and the crank shaft. During each power stroke the pistons 6 and 1, as well as the projections 4' and 5 of the wheels will be moved apart from their closest to their most widely separated relative `positions and, simultaneously,` the running gears 29 and their oval tracks 24 will be rotated one-quarter of one revolution.

At each subsequent compression stroke the pistons and the projections 4 and 5 will be movedv toward each other from their extremely 'separated to their closest relative positionsand at the same time the running gears 20 and their ports I3 and then partially the intake ports I2.

After the exhaust ports have been closed, the

oval tracks 24 will be rotated in" the same` Y counter-clockwise direction a quarter of .one

revolution. The oval tracks or cams of the running gears through the engagement therewith by the projecting members 4 and 5 will direct and limit the relative movements of the pistons. The spark plugs II are arranged )opposite the spaces inthe annular chamber 9 wheretl'e combustion areas or chambers 9' are located, that is, at points where the pistons 6 and 'I reachy their closest relative positions with respect to one another. The exhaust ports I3 are positioned adjacent the spaces where the combustion areas or chambers 9 occur, and each is covered by a piston when the pistons 'are in close proximity at the commencement of their power strokes. The intake. ports I2 are located near the exhaust ports, and each is uncovered to admit fuelto a combustion chamber after a piston has moved across and 'beyond the adjacent exhaust port.

The firing in the six combustion chambers 9 takes place simultaneously, and immediately thereafter the pair kof pistons 6 and 'I' then located at opposite sides of each combustion chamber are forced apart. As these pistons are forced apart, the projections 4' and 5' carrie d by the wheels and operating in the oval tracks 24, are also moved in opposite directions, thereby causing the running 'gears 20 to rotate in a counterclockwisedirection. As the running gears rotate in said direction, their teeth engaging with the teeth of the stationary ring ,gear I9, cause the said running gears to move bodily in a clockwise direction, and since the said running gears are connected by the fingers 2I to the drive-disc 22, the latter and also the crank shaft are rotated in the same direction. When the projecting members 4 and 5' have movedv to their farthestapart-positions, the running gears 20 and the latters oval tracks 24 will have been rotated onequarter of a revolution, and at the same time the pistons 6 and 'I of each pair will have been forced apart to the end or completion of their power strokes. At the beginning of the power stroke when the firing occurs, the exhaust openings I3 will be closed by the pistons 'I (see Fig. 2), but after the movement of the `latter in a clockwise direction for a short distance, the said exhaust openings will be uncovered to allow the gases of combustion to escape. While the pistons 'I are in positions closing the exhaust ports I3, the intake ports I2 are sufficiently opened to admit the remainder of a fuel charge to the chamber 9, then, as the said pistons move in a clockwise disucceeding charges of fuel are admitted to the chambers :9. While the pistons 6 are moving to positions formerly assumed (at the commencement of the power stroke) by their then associated pistons 1, the pistons 1 which are following from behind on their power strokes, will have movedon their compression strokes to the positions near the spark plugs formerly occupied by' the pistons 6. The charges of fuel previously admitted to the chamber 9 will thereupon be compressed between the pairs of pistons 6 and 'I in l the combustion chambers 9', ready for the next firing.

It will therefore be noted that when the pistons and 6 start on their powerstrokes, pistons 6 'and 'I start on their compression strokes, and

when the power strokes are completed, pistons 6 and I are under full compression. As they start on their power strokes, pistons I and 6 are forced ,together again on their compression strokes, and the projecting members 5 and 4' are forced together again, and as they are forced together they turn theA oval tracks another quarter turn. lThe six power strokes occur simultaneously,

and since the running gears 29 make three revolutions to one revolution of the crank shaft, there are seventy-two power strokes for each revolution of the crank shaft. Suitable means of the usual kind for providing the timely injection of fuel `to thechamber 9 and for providing a spark 'forigniting the compressed charges of fuel are embodiments of the engine, but for the sake of clearness and brevity they have been purposely omitted fromthe drawings. While I have shown v,and described a rotary engine having twelve pistons, it is to be understood that the principles of my invention may just as well embody types having eight, ten, sixteen, or any other suitable number of pistons and associated elements.

What I claim is:

1. In a rotary engine, a housing having a cir- V .cular chamber, a shaft journaled in the housing and arrangediconcentrically with respect to the circular chamber, a pair of piston carrying mem- .bers mounted for independent rotary motion on the shaft, a plurality of spaced pistons carried by each piston carrying member and arranged for circular movement in the chamber, a stationary ring gear, a drive-disc secured to the shaft havming spaced. projections thereon, a plurality of rection (Fig. 2), the intake openings will be completely closed "while at the same time the fuel charges in the chamber 9 will be in the process of being compressed preparatory to the succeeding spaced running gears meshed with the ring gear and rotatably mounted on the projections of the drive-disc, the said running gears being spaced at equal distances from one another and arranged to rotate 'and to move circularly around the shaft and rotate the drive-disc and said shaft, projecting members on each piston carrying member, cam members carried by each running gear with which the projecting members of the piston carrying members engage, the cam members being so constructed and arranged as to control the movement of. the pistons of the respective piston carrying members after each explosion, whereby they move toward and away from one another to provide successive compression and power strokes, and fuel intake and exhaust means arranged in the housing for admitting fue] to the chamber and for exhausting the gases of `combustion therefrom.

2. In a rotary engine, a housing having fuel intake and exhaustmeans and a circular chamber, a shaft journaled in the housing and arranged concentrically with respect to the chamber, a pair of piston carrying Wheels mounted for independent rotary movement on the shaft, a set of spaced pistons carried by eachwheel and arranged for circular movement in the chamber, a plurality of rotatable running gears arranged to rotate and to travel in a circular path concentric to the circular chamber, each carrying a cam of predetermined shape, projecting members carried by the wheels and positioned in engagement with the cams, the said projectingmembers and 'the cams being so constructed and arranged that when explosions in the chamber occur, the pistons will be guided in a deiinite manner away from and toward one another on their power and compression strokes and at the same time the running gears will be rotated and moved along their circular path, and means connecting the running gears and the shaft, whereby when the running gears are moved circularly the shaft will be rotated.

3. In a rotary engine, a housing having an annular chamber wherein charges of fuel are eX- ploded, a shaft journaled in the housing and arranged concentrically with respect to the chainber, a plurality of piston carrying wheels mounted for independent rotary movement on the shaft, a set of spaced and circularly arranged pistons carried by each wheel'` and mounted for circular movement in the chamber, a plurality of spaced cam members arranged for rotary and circular movement about the shaft, cam engaging members carried by the wheels, the cam engaging members and the cams being so constructed and arranged that when explosions occur in the chamber the set of pistons will be guided in a denite manner away from and toward one another on their power and compression strokes and at the same time the cam members will be simultaneously rotated and moved circularly, and means connecting the cam members and the shaft, whereby when the cam Amembers are moved circularly the shaft will be rotated.

CARL B. HANSEN. 

